Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-28

great difficulty, though it was gloomy WORK
enough travelling on thus, no orc Of us knew
whittier, in the dead heart of volcano. AS
we went, however, took tho precaution Of
noting our route rs well rs l could and this
was not difficult, owing to tho extraordinary
and most fantastic shape OF tho rocks that
were strewn about, many of which in that
dim light looked moro like the grim faces
carved upon medinval gargoyles han ordi'
nary powders.
For a long period we Travelled on thus, bali
an hour, should say, till, after we had de-
seconded for many hundreds of feet, per-
ceived that we wero reaching the point OF tho
inverted conc In another minute we wero
there, and found that at tho very apex Of tho
funnel was passage so low and narrow that
we had to stoop az we crept along 1t in Indian
file. After some fifty yards of this creeping
the passage suddenly widened into a cave, SC
huge that we could sec neither the roof mol
the sides We only know that 1t was q cave
by the echo of our tread and the perfect quiet
of the heavy air. On we went for many
minutes In absolute awed silence, like lost
souls in the depths OF Tartarus. Ayesha's white
and ghost like form fitting in front of us, till
once more the cavern ended in a passage
which opened in second cavern much smaller
than the first. Indeed, wo could clearly make
out the arch and stony banks Of this second
cave, and, from their rent and jagged ap-
pearance, discovered that, like the first long
passage through which we had passed In tho
cliff befor camo to the quivering spur. II
had to =. rance been torn In the bowls
of the rock by the terrific forcc Of some ex-
plosive gas At length this cave ended in q
third passage, through which CLEANED faint
glow Of light
/ heard Ayesha give sigh Of relief as this
light dawned upon us.
at is well,n she said; prepare to enter tho
wemb OF the earth, wherein stie doth con-
ceive the life that ye sec brought forth in
man and beast-ay, and In every tree and
nower.n w.
Swiftly she sped along, and after hes we
stumbled as best We might, our hearts filed
like cup with mingled dread and curiosity.
What were we about to sect We passed
down the tunnel; stronger and stronger tho
light beamed, reaching us in great flashes
like the rays from lighthouse, as ono by
one thoy are thrown upon tho darkness OF tho
waters. Nor was this all, for with tho flashes
came a soul shaking sound like that Of thun-
der and of crashing trees. Now we wcre
through 1t, and-oh, heavensl
We stood in third cavern, some fifty feet
in length by, perhaps, as great height, and
thirty wide 1t was carpetsd with ilne white
sand, and its walls had been worn smooth by
the notion of know not what The cavern
was not dark like the others; it was filed with
a soft glow of rose colored light, more beauti-
full to look ON than anything that can be con-
ceived But at first we saw no flashes, and
heard no moro Of tho thunderous sound.
Presently, however, as we stood in amaze,
gazing at the wonderful sight and wondering
whence the rosy radiance flowed, dread and
beautiful thing happened. Across the far
end of the cavern, with grinding and crash
ing noise-a noise SO dreadful and awe inspir-
ing that we all trembled, and Job actually
sunk to his knees-there famed out an awful
cloud or pillar Of fro, like rainbow, mahy
colored and, like tho Lightning, bright For o
space, perhaps forty seconds, Ii famed and
roared thus, turning slowly round and round,
and then by degrees the terrible noiso ceased.
md with the fireit passed away-I know not
withdrawing behind it tho same rosy glow
that we had first seen.
@Draw near, draw nearin cried Ayesha, with
q voice of thrilling EMULATION. Behold tho
very fountain and heart Of life as It beats in
the bosom Of the great world. Behold the sub
stance from which all things draw their
energy. tho bright spirit Of the globe, with
out which it cannot live, but must grow cold
and dead as the dead moon. Draw near, and
wash We in the living flames and take their
virtue into your poor frames in oil its virgin
strengthened as it now feebly grows within
your bosoms, filtered thereto through all the
iine strainers of thousand Intermediate
lives, but as 1t is hero In tho very font and
seat of beingn
Wo followed her through the rosy glow up
to the head of the cave, till at last We stood
before the spot where tho great pulse beat
and the great flame passed. And as we went
became sensible of wild and splendid exhil-
nration, Of glorious sense of such a fierce
intensity of life that the most bouyant mo
ments Of our strength seemed fiat and tame
and feeble beside it, TWAS the mere effluvium
Of the flame, the subtle ether that it cast Off
as 1t passed, working on us, and making us
feel as strong as giants and swift as eagles.
We reached tho head of the cave, and gazed
Mt each other in the glorious glow, and laugh
ed aloud-even Job laughed, md ho had not
laughed for week-in the hghtness of our
hearts and the divine intoxication of our
brains. | know that felt as though oil the
varied genius Of which the human intellect Is
capable had descended upon me. could havo
spoken in blank verse OF Shnkespcarean
beauty, oil sorts OF great ideas flashed through
my mind, 1t was as though the bonds of my
flesh had loosened, and left the spirit free to
soar 10 the empyrcan OF its native power. Tho
sensations that poured in upon me are in
describable. seemed to live more keenly,
to reach to higher joy, and sip the goblet
of n So bile thought than ever 1t had been my
lot to do before. / was another and most
glotifed self, and all the avenues Of the pos
sible were for space laid open 10 the foot
steps of the real.
n1.av. c,,dJo,,lxr ..kfln 4 ,.osoton1 l., att.
splendid vigor OF new found self, from far,
far away there came dreadful muttering
noise, that grew and grew to crash and q
roar, which combined In itself all that Is ter
rible and yet splendid In the possibilities Of
sound Nearer IL came, and nearer yet, till
it was close upon us, rolling down like thun-
der wheels Of heaven behind tho horses OF
lightning. On it came, and with it came
tho glorious binding cloud OF many colored
light, and stood before us for space, turning,
as il seemed to us, slowly round and round,
and then, accompanied by its attendant pomp
of sound passed away know not whittier.
50 astonishing was the wondrous sight that
one and all OF US, save She, who stood up and
stretched her hands toward tho fire, sunk
down before II, and hid our faces in the sand.
When it was gone, Ayesha spoke.
snow, Knllikrates," sho said, "thc mighty
moment Is at hand. When the great flame
comes again thou must stand In IL. First
throw aside thy garments, for 1t will burn
them, though thee 1t will not hurt Thou must
stand In the flame while thy senses will en-
dure, and when IL embraces thee suck the fire
down into thy very heart, and let ii leap md
play around thy every part, so that thou lose
no moiety Of It's virtue. Nearest thou me,
Kallikratesin
"rhesr thee, Ayesha,n answered Eco, 'but
OF truth-I am no coward-but / doubt me
OF that raging flame. How know | that 1t
viii not utterly destroy me, 30 that lose my
self and lose thee alsof Nevertheless will do
it, lie ndded
said:
at is not wonderful that thou shouldst
doubt Tell me, Kallikratcs, II thou seost me
stand In tho flame aud come forth unhnrmed,
wilt thou onter alsolp
Eyes" he answered, al will onter, even II Il
slRy mo- have said that will enter
"And that will also,n cried.
"What my Holly" sho laughed nloud;
"methought that thou wouldst naught OF
length OF days Why, how is thisp
"Nay, know not" answered; "but there
Is that in my heart that calloth mo 10 taste Of
the ilamo and i've"
ut Is we'll, " sho said. "Thou art not alto
Beih-i iust ia iViiy. See nov, viii fvi tho
second time bathe mo IN this living bath.
Pain would add TO my beauty and my
length Of days, II that be possible. If 1t DO
not possible, at least 1t cannot harm me.
"Also,n sho continued, nfter a monentnry
pause, sis there another and deeper cause
why would once again dip mo In tho flame.